Healthy Eating: 3 Day Detox Diet using Raw Foods

Chopped mixed vegetables

Mixed vegetables | Source

3 day Raw Food Detox Diet

Are you feeling bloated, sluggish, out of sorts? In general you probably don't feel ill exactly, just not at your best. The chances are your body is responding to the huge amount of toxins modern living inflicts on it. It is a great idea to take a few days now and then and give your body a boost by helping to clear out those toxins. Here you will find advice on detoxing, this page features an easy to follow, 3 day diet using raw food that will help. This cleansing diet that will have you ready to tackle anything.

In modern life we are bombarded by toxins, in the air we breathe and in the food we eat, in the products we use. This article introduces you to a short (only 3 days) detox diet eating only raw fruit and vegetables. It is guaranteed to give you the kick-start you need towards improved health. Don't think of it as a diet, think of it as rebalancing. And once you have cleared away the toxins, fill your body with healthy nutrients and a fitter lifestyle.

You should only undertake this if you are in good health. You should expect some reaction such as mild 'flu-like' symptoms and headaches as the toxics clear your system - be sure to drink loads of fresh water to minimize these effects. If you experience more than mild symptoms stop immediately. Instead try incorporating some raw fruit and vegetable to your daily diet.

Image: 'Mixed raw vegetables'. This and all the images used on this page are by the author of this article: AnnMackieMiller

Warning!

Please note, only undertake this if you are physically able to do so. You should consult your doctor if you are in any doubt.

What are Toxins and How do they affect Your Health?

facts about toxins

No matter how careful we are, we all take in, ingest, inhale or absorb through the skin large amounts of chemical toxins. The body is an amazing machine, it has the ability to eliminate harmful toxins, in small amount by chemical processing by the liver and elimination in the renal and alimentary systems. However, it is simply not equipped to deal with the sheer amount of chemicals we subject it to. This means chemical byproducts are laid down as toxins in the body. It is inevitable that constant bombardment with toxins can cause severe and long term chronic disease. For most of us though, we feel, not exactly ill, but not exactly well and brimming over with health and energy.

The fault lies with modern society; it isn't only the type of foods we eat, but how that food is the production, transported, stored and packaged. Very few foodstuffs are produced without some chemical input from fertilizer and chemical pest control to the preservation for transport and the visual appearance on supermarket shelves. Did you know, for example, that those shiny apples are that way because of a chemical wax, and that it soaks through the skin into theflesh? Did you know that two sprays are used on bananas; they are picked before they ripen and spray to them ripening during transport, then another one is sprayed on them to start the ripening process once they arrive? Did you also know that those lovely looking bags of seemingly healthy salads are preserved with a gas never mind the effect of the petrol-chemically produced packaging they are sold in?

We also inhale and absorb toxins in our environment, from air and water. We use chemical heavy items to clean ourselves and our houses and wonder why asthma is higher now than it has ever been. We also create our own toxins by the body with chemical reactions to stress such as muscle rigidity.

Toxins have a tendency to make us feel slow and sluggish, or simply, just not quite 100%. You may well not feel ill, but I suspect there are a huge number of people who feel not quite well.

courgette-and-tomatoes

What Raw Foods to Include on your 3 Day Detox

detox foods

Raw foods are uncooked foodstuffs including:

vegetables

fruit

nuts

seeds

berries

sprouting beans and pulses

Research suggest there is an increasing interest in 'living foods'. The premise is that most of the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables is lost in preparation and cooking. Most goodness in a potato or apple, for example, is in the first milimeter. Subsequently when we peel them we are getting rid of the richest part. In similar fashion, in cooking nutrient is lost, this is especially true of vegetables that are boiled. So if you soak your potatoes to clean and peel them, then boil them, you have lost around 65% of the nutrition value. Personally I try to leave skins intact where ever possible, and if it is not, then I peel them dry and simply rinse them under running water before steam-cooking them.

For the purpose of this detox though, it is essential that you take all these foods raw, clean, but raw. The idea behind this is that pure raw food not only contains much more in nutrients and micro-nutrients but it is also the type of diet that the very first human body would eat, ie, the one the body is most ideally suited to process for utmost health - logical when you think about our fore-bearer hunter/gatherers.

Red Peppers

I use a stick blender to make smoothies - they are only good for soft fruits though but with this I can make a one in double quick time and with no fuss. It is really easy to clean too, unlike a lot of heavy food processors.

Raw Food 3 Day Detox Diet

healthy diet

This is a three day de-tox programme which will help your body get rid of at least some of the effects of any toxins. Please note, you will probably suffer slight headaches, some flu-like symptoms, occasionally diarrhoea and you may feel irritable while your body fights off the toxins so be prepared.

Do ensure you are as healthy as possible before you start. It is probably better to start on a day when you are not working away from home.

To enhance the effects, try to take a 20 minute walk every day. Drink loads of plain water, and every time you crave a snack, brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with mouthwash. Your mouth is going to feel furry anyway and it helps control cravings.

It couldn't be easier - for three days eat nothing that is cooked. Cut out all tea, coffees, colas etc and drink only water, hot or cold, or fruit teas.

Nettle tea is a cleansing tea

Redbush tea a non-caffaine tea which is excellent.

You may have fruit juices you squeeze yourself - Please note that ALL shop bought varieties have some sort of preservative added even if they don't have colorants and claim to be completely natural.

Home-made smoothies are wonderful especially if you experiment - try out a green smoothie for instance for added health.

Eat raw fruit and vegetables. This does not mean a diet of lettuce leaves and carrots. In this day and age the variety available is tremendous. You can find baby sweet corn, avocados, broccoli, courgettes and sugar fat peas as well as more traditional carrots, cauliflower, cabbage and mushrooms. Yes I know these are probably not things you would normally eat raw but just try them; you'll be surprised at how good they are.

Do not eat only fruit; you must include vegetables to ensure the correct mix of nutrients. Add nuts to give protein and sprouting beans to really enhance the mineral elements. Sprouting beans have essential elements found nowhere else as well as being very tasty.

If you can keep this up for 3 days you will find your body responding in a very positive manner. You will feel lighter and much more energetic.

I don't recommend it for longer than 3 days: frankly it is boring! At the end of three days you will be ready to cut an arm off for a plate of soup. However I do recommend that you introduce some raw foods into your diet regularly, something every day if possible.

Smoothies are great for getting a load of good nutrients with no fuss and with all these recipes, you will never get bored. Personally I prefer smoothies to juices - I hate the waste you get - I always think by just extracting the juice you are missing out on all the other goodness in the pulp - I did try making soups with the left over pulp - not one of my more successful experiments.

Take a minute to take the poll

Does the raw diet appeal to you?

What is intuitive eating

You can make yourself a plate of mixed veggies, salad etc but you might want to try some intuitive eating.

Put simply, it is another way of extending your self-awareness: of allowing your body, in this case your palette, to decide what it needs at any particular moment. You start your meal by choosing one vegetable which appeals to you, say a broccoli spear or (be daring_ broccoli stalks) then keep eating that type until if feels less appealing to your taste. This is your body indicating it has had enough of that particular item and you move on to another one, say slices of avocado. Eat slowly and don't do anything else like reading a book or watching TV. You are becoming body conscious - you are learning to listen to what your body want rather than just shovel in any old thing.

You will be amazed at how different the same vegetable can taste after several slices. From being really tasty the same thing can very quickly become tasteless, even unpleasant when your body has had enough. If you mix varieties together it is impossible to tell when your body has had enough of that variety.

Try it, you might be surprised.

Equipment and books you might need for healthy eating

I've included some books you might find interesting about the benefits of smoothies and of sprouting beans and pulses, plus what I think are 2 essential pieces of equipment: a stick blender and a sprouting jar.

How to use a sprouting jar

sprouting beans and pulses are almost THE most nutritious foods you can eat. Sprouting is easy with one of these jars. The process couldn't be easier with one of these jar or you could make your own. You just put your beans inside and cover with water then drain and rinse every day until the sprouts appear.

I am currently just coming out of a detox but not of my choosing. I had a blocked saliva gland and it locked my jaw so I could not eat for 4 days. So I lived on juice and a tiny bit of soup that I managed to get in. Since then it has been a very slow process back onto foods. Funny thing is that I feel great other than my throat lol.

AUTHOR

Ann

5 years agofrom Yorkshire, England

@AlleyCatLane: they sound yummy - must give them a try

AlleyCatLane

5 years ago

Great information! i read it as I was drinking the smoothie I just made with a banana, strawberries, blueberries, almond milk and cottage cheese. It was delicious. I had one yesterday using Greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese which was also good. I think I am going to try to have these at least five days a week. Now if I can just get the nerve up to throw a vegetable in there too.

Paul

5 years agofrom Liverpool, England

A shame raspberry jam doughnuts aren't on the list :) Very useful info on detox dieting.

wilfredpadilla

6 years ago

I think I should try this. Thanks for sharing.

anonymous

6 years ago

You must have been reading my mind! ;) My daughter has been trying to find a good healthy way to detox. Thanks!

anonymous

6 years ago

@Brandi Bush: I had a juicer for a while but it didn't feel right throwing away the pulp left behind from juicing. I now make smoothies instead.

thanks for visiting and taking time to leave a comment.

Brandi

6 years agofrom Maryland

There are changes I need to make. I'm about to buy a juicer so I can get more vitamins during the day...looking forward to that! :)

anonymous

6 years ago

@Holysheepskin LM: I just wash them under running water.

LouisaDembul

6 years ago

This is something I might try. It is true what you say- there is so much variety available that a detox does not have to be boring!

Holysheepskin LM

6 years ago

I have always wanted to try this. It really is scary about what is uesd to grow our food and preserve food.

I know it's best to eat with the skins on, but what is the best way to get that waxy stuff off? Water or vegtable wash? I don't know enough about the vegtable washes and if they are even good for you. Thanks for the info.

traveller27

6 years ago

I've been on a "high raw" (mostly raw) diet for almost two years; I've also done "all raw" days.

Monika Weise

7 years agofrom Indianapolis, IN USA

My diet is awful and I really need to change it.

miaponzo

7 years ago

My diet these days is quite good actually since I'm following the advice I got on my hair analysis! :)

ShamanicShift

7 years ago

Healthy enough that I'm relentlessly healthy, though I eat and drink foolishly, occasionally, in moderation...And, detoxing now and then breaks up habits and routines, too.

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